Questions over the timing of NHRA’s decision to open its Countdown at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park have intensified after Larry Morgan said IHRA made a good-faith offer for NHRA to stage an event at Maple Grove Raceway a day after the bombshell announcement that the series had purchased Maple Grove Raceway.
Morgan, a longtime drag racer and one of the International Hot Rod Association’s senior series representatives, said the proposal was intended to create cooperation during a period of realignment across the sport.
Morgan said the offer originated with IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell and was structured as a standard rental agreement that would have given NHRA full control of its event.
“That was a genuine offer,” Morgan said. “That was right from Darryl’s heart. He said, ‘I want you guys to have your race there, you’re more than welcome to.’”
Morgan said the offer was presented during a meeting in which IHRA brought a group of six series representatives, including Morgan, to speak directly with NHRA officials. He said Ned Walliser was the highest-ranking NHRA official present at the booth.
“Ned said, ‘How’s that going to work?’ and I said, ‘We rent it to you just like the Koretskys did. That would be your race,’” Morgan said.
He emphasized the approach was cooperative rather than confrontational.
“We were never, never at any point in time wanting to be enemies with them,” Morgan said.
The tone shifted after NHRA formally announced U.S. 131 Motorsports Park as the Countdown opener, a move Morgan said caught him off guard.
Sources familiar with the timeline indicate the U.S. 131 Motorsports Park decision was reportedly made just minutes after IHRA publicly announced its purchase of Maple Grove Raceway.
Morgan said IHRA went beyond verbal discussions in an effort to accommodate NHRA, including offering to temporarily remove all Maple Grove branding for the event.
“We offered to take our signs down and put NHRA signs up,” Morgan said. “Because we knew it was an event that was big for them.”
He said the gesture underscored that the proposal was not a negotiating tactic.
“We’re not looking for trouble,” Morgan said. “We do our own deal.”
Morgan said the decision reflected a broader disconnect with racers and Northeast fans.
“But they proved one thing,” Morgan said. “They do not care about their racers and they do not care about the Northeast racers or fans.”
Morgan said Maple Grove will proceed with its own event and intends to demonstrate a racer-first approach.
“So, we will have a race there and show them how it’s done,” Morgan said.
He added that the Koretsky family, longtime operators of Maple Grove Raceway, support that direction.
“We’re going to show them how to treat the racers,” Morgan said. “And the Koretskys are right behind us.”
Asked about the broader implications of the situation, Morgan reflected on advice he received earlier in his career from former Oldsmobile executive Dave Gerard.
“Be careful whose toes you step on today,” Morgan said, quoting Gerard, “they may be connected to the a** you have to kiss down the road.”
Morgan closed by returning to Cuttell, whom he described as direct and resolute.
“Darrell Cuttell is real,” Morgan said. “There’s nothing fake about him.”
Morgan added a final warning.
“But you step on him,” Morgan said, “he will step all over you.”
CompetitionPlus.com reached out to NHRA via phone calls and text messages seeking comment. As of this posting, those communications have not been returned.
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NHRA will open the Countdown to the Championship at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, accelerating a major playoff shift and putting Michigan at the heart of the title fight.
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